Roller gauge sorting machine



Nov. 19, 1946. L KERlAN ROLLER GAUGE SORTING MACHINE Filed March 24, 1944 .2 sheefS-sheeH 1 NOV. 19, 1946. KERIAN 2,411,274

ROLLER GAUGE SORTING MACHINE Filed March 24, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor' By I WWW Patented Nov. 19,A` 1946 FFICE-fu- ROLLR GAUGE SORTING MACHINE Louis Keran, Grafton, N. Dak. Application March 24, 1944, Serial No. 527,948

1 Claim.A 1

This invention relates to a machine for sorting objects, such as fruits and vegetables, as to size.

The primary object of the invention is to provide .a novel machine of the above' kind `which is comparatively simple and durable in cons-truc- .ti-on, economical and easy to 'manufacture and use, and highly efficient in operation.

More specifically, the present invention contemplates the provision of a sorting machine including spaced endless guideways affording a horizontally elongated vertical orbital path having a at upper portion, a continuous series of horizontal rollers disposed transverselyof said path and bridging and guided by said guideways, means to cause the rollers .to move in the orbital path including means to variably spaoethe rollers while causing them to travel in the flat upper portion of the path so that objects of various sizes will be allowed to pass downwardly between adjacent rollers at different points in the flat upper portion of the path, and means to catch the respective sizes of objects as they Iare sol separated or sorted. The flat upper portion Aof the path is preferablyinclined upwardly and rearwardly from the feed .to the delivery end of the machine to afford an arrangement whereby Athe rollers may gravitate Vfrom the discharge end of the upper portionof the path and force the successive rollers into position at the lower receiving end of the horizontal portion of the path by the weight of succeeding rollers. Also, the arrangement is such that the rollers are moved in the horizontal upper portion of the path Vso as to gradually increase the spacing of the rollers as they move from .the receiving or feed end of the machine to the discharge end thereof..

Other objects and featuresof the invention will become apparent from the following description when considered in connection with .the accompanying drawings, and the invention consists in the novel form, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, shown in the drawings and claimed.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a sorting machine constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is anenlarged transverse section taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1. Y

Figure 4 is a fragmentary section taken on line 4-4 of Figure 1,

. 2 Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional detail View taken on line 5-5 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view showing .a portion of one of theworm shafts embodied in the means for moving and varying the spacing of the rollers and the upper portion of the path of travel thereof.

Referring in detail to the drawings, 5 indicates a suitable horizontally elongated frame, longitudinally of and within which are mounted a pair of spaced endless guideways, each consisting of uniformly spaced inner and outer guide rails 6 and 1. The guideways are vertically disposed and have ilat upper portions which are preferably inclined upwardly and rearwardly from the feed end to the discharge end of the machine, as shown in Figure 1. Thus, the guideways define a vertical, .horizontally elongated endless or orbital path having a flat upper portion, .and guided by these guideways for movement in this path are an endless series of rollers 8 that bridge the spaces between the guideways and are horizontally disposed transversely of the latter. As shown, the

Vrollers 8 have axial shafts 9 that project atop,- .n Dosite ends of the rollers and extend betweenand outwardly past .the guide rails 6 `and 1.

, Disposed longitudinally of and journaled in grooved, as at I3, to receive the ends ofthe roller shafts 9. Accordingly,` when the `shafts Il ""are turned, the rollers 8 at the upper portion of the path or guideways are caused to travel longitudinally of the machine from the lower receiving end to the upper rear discharge end thereof. At the same time, the rollers are given a differential movement so thatthe spacing thereof is gradually increased as the rollers travel toward the discharge end of the machine. This is illustrated clearly in Figure 2, and it will be apparent that objects of various sizes, within certainr limits, will be allowed to pass downwardly path as the shafts of said rollers disengage from the grooved threads of the Worm shafts Il. In

of the flat upper portions of the guideways are `tracks I6 on which the ends of the rollers 8 'are disposed. The outer guide rails 'I hold the rollers against these tracks with sucient friction` to insure rotation of the rollers-as theyrtraveli..

upwardly and rearwardly along the tracks I6. The ends of the rollershafts 9 will of course rotatably engage in thevgrooves I3 of the worm shafts II to permit-this.' -'IfheY worm shafts II may be driven in any suitable' manner and by any suitable means, suchas amotor I'I.V mounteduponlthe re'arupperportion of. the frame 5Y andan endless sprocket chain vI8 passing around sprocket wheels fixed onthepowerishaft of motor I'I and the rear endsvof worm shafts II.,v A suitable feed hopper I9' r may vbe "mounted on the frame at the lower receiving fory feeding end thereof, in position todischarge therobjects to be sorted'upon the rollersf8 at'the lower receiving end of the upperorflat'pathportion. l f

Suitable'transversev 'chutes 2(1.may be mounted beneathV the 'flat upperV portions ofthe guideways to receive-the respective sizes of objects which passl downwardly between theV rolle'rs during the sorting operation. These chutesmayextend laterally beyondoe Sideof fthe machine vand incline in this directionl tojfa'cilitate bagging of the vobjects aslthey are. sorted; Objects which are of'maximuris'ize and maynot pass between the rollers 8 at'any time willbedischarged 1ongitudinally at the discharge end of the machine where a suitable chuteZI maybe mounted to ceptacle. v Y* In operation, the motor I1 is started and a batch of objectsis placed in the hopper I9 so that they may feed by gravity onto the rollers i8 at the lower forward receiving end of the machine. As

the rollers are moved rearwardly-by thejworrn shafts II, theyV are alsocaused to turn by engagement withlthe tracks Iii and will be gradually increased'inspacing by the form 'of` the threads on said worm shafts II which are en gaged in the groovesv by the ends of the roller shafts 9i Obviously;V as the above. takes place, objects `of various sizes, within predetermined limits, may pass downwardly betweenadjacent rollers 8 atdifferent points along the horizontal Y in different ones of the troughs 2D.

4 upper portion of the orbital path, and these differently sized objects will be selectively received Remaining still larger objects may pass from the rollers at the discharge end of the machine into the end chute 2|. As the rollers disengage from the threads of the shaft II at the discharge end of the machine, they will pass downwardly by grav-- ity in contacting relation within. the ,lower downwardlylcurved portion of the guideways. At the same time, rollers will be constahtly'fed upward- .ly into position for engagement with the worm shafts by the weight of the rollers therebehind,

thustinsuringia continuation of this cycle of operation as long-as the motor I1 is used to drive the worin'shafts.

Fromthe.foregoing description it is believed that1 the construction and operation, as well as I the advantages of the present invention, will be readily understood and appreciated by those skilled inthe art.,` Minor changes in details of construction illustrated and'described: are contemplated,v such as fairly fall withini'thespirit and scope of the invention as;claimed.'f; Y WhatI claim is: y. p A sorting'.machine ofthe-'character described comprising a horizontally elongated frame, spaced vertical and horizontally' elongated guideways mounted longitudinally ofrand within therframe, said guideways being endless and having flat upper portions andV definingY a verticalforbital path having a flat upper portion, eachV guideway including uniformly spaced inner and outer guide rails, a continuous series of rollers disposed trans- Y versely of and-bridging thespace betweenthe guideways, said rollers having shaftswhose ends project outwardly betweenyand beyond the guide rails of the guideways, and meansto'causemovement of-the rollers in said ipath including worm shafts having threads provided with Vgrroovesreceiving the lends of the rollershaftsat thegup-p-r `portion of the path, said` worm shafts; being `journaledA longitudinally of and at Opposite sides' of the frame parallel with thegupperportionsiof the guideways, the threads of `said..W. orm shafts gradually 'increasing in pitch in a direction Ycorresponding to the kdirection of movement `of lthe rollers, the -upper portions ofthe guideways-being inclined' upwardly, the inclination' being; sufficient `to, cause ,theVv rollers to be-fed to theforward part `0fV the machinerand thegthleadsof thejgwogrm shafts terminating nearthe rear-.ends of the-upper portions of the guideways-wherebyjthe rollers 'may pass J`by. gravity from the upper 'porltiohsof Lthe guidew'aysto the lower portions thereof for forcing the lrollers successivelyupwardly into 4p0- sition .to-engage the threads of the` wormsh'afts atth'e lower ends of thelatter. i f 

